Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ceramic materials which are oxidation-resistant, and temperature-resistant and to the process and compounds used in making these materials. In particular, the invention relates to silicon carboxide ceramics ("black glasses"), to the spirosiloxane oligomers and polymers which are precursors to the ceramics, and to the process for synthesizing the silicon carboxide ceramics and precursor compounds.
Ceramics have been tailored to improve properties such as durability, nonporosity, electrical conductivity or nonconductivity, thermal resistance, toughness, and ease of fabrication. One method of tailoring the properties of silica-containing ceramics has been to add carbon to make a silicon carboxide ceramic or "black glass." It has proven difficult, however, to prepare a black glass which has good stability at high temperature in an oxidizing atmosphere. It is one object of the present invention to provide a black glass having good stability at high temperatures in oxidizing atmospheres as well as having other desirable properties.